sixty days of trips and stays
by errandmushroom
Summary: Aggie's friends with Benjy Fenwick, who just decided he fancies himself a bit of Lily Evans, which of course goes over about as well as the Hindenburg with one livid James Potter. Expect pranking, hexing, and general mean-spiritedness.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, hopefully everyone enjoys the first chapter of this new story. **

**I love reviews, so feel free to say anything and everything you think about it.**

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I was going to be late, and I was screaming so at the top of my lungs.

My mother kept shooting me dirty looks from the driver's seat, mouth all pinched up and eyes searing hot. "Agatha Hollis!" She screeched. "If you do not calm your fiery britches down this instant, I'll see to it that you can no longer lift a wand, much less make it to Hogwarts."

"Don't call me that," I moaned, burying my hands in my face. "Anything but that."

My little brother popped his head up from the passenger's seat. "What? _Agatha_?" He taunted. "But that's your name, isn't it? _Agatha_?" He sneered at me.

If I hadn't been so concerned about making it to the train on time, I could've bashed his brains in right then and there. Which, of course, would lead to my mum getting in an accident trying to stop me, which would mean that I would never make it to Hogwarts. And I just couldn't let that happen.

I settled with glaring at him viciously. It was the little snot's first year, and all bets were on Slytherin as far as I could tell.

He was still staring at me, goading with big brown eyes. I shoved his forehead back, hard. "Don't you worry, baby brother, I'll be there to laugh when all your Slythie buddies beat you up." I chimed sweetly.

He tried to purse his lips but it came out as more of a pout, "I'm not going to get beat up!" He exclaimed shrilly, though he did look worried.

I slumped back against the seat, smirking contentedly. Then my eyes caught the scenery flashing outside the window and I jumped up. "We're here!" I yelped. I glanced down at my watch. 10:50AM. "We're going to be late." I screwed up my face terribly to show my dismay.

As soon as my mum managed to park the car, rather haphazardly I might add, though I doubt that my yelling into her ear had anything to do with that, I scrambled to the back of the car. I slammed on the trunk until my mum came around back to unlock it. She was going far too slowly, and I sighed dramatically and tapped my toes on the ground.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Agatha Hollis, if you haven't been the biggest pain in the bum for me since you were born..." She shook her head, muttering something about how she didn't deserve this from life, and lifted open the trunk.

I pounced on it eagerly and removed all of my bags and cases. I kissed my mum on the cheek. "That's what makes me so much better than Hartwell." I giggled and made to bound off the platform.

"Wait for your brother." My mum said sharply. "You know it's his first year and-" blah blah blah.

I stopped listening. My eyes probably glazed over and I groaned but gave in, in any case. I found myself tapping my feet again as Hartwell took his sweet time gathering his bags. When he caught up with me, I made sure to pop him in the back of the hand with my palm for making me wait so long.

He rubbed the back of his head and glared at me, but stayed silent, I assume because he didn't want me to maul him right there in front of everyone. aHe followed me to Platform 9 3/4. Once there, we raced through, myself going first and him coming shortly after. We got into the train alright, but as soon as we were inside, Hartwell disappeared with some friends from the neighborhood. Or at least, I guessed that's who they were. I hadn't thought of Hartwell having friends, being the little brat that he was and all, it amazed me that anyone could stand being around him for longer than thirty seconds.

I shrugged and walked on. Every compartment was pretty full. I saw a couple of familiar faces every now and again, but I didn't feel particularly tempted to join any one of them.

"Aggie!"

I swung around on instinct, and found myself smacking into one Benjamin Fenwick.

"Aw, what the hell, Hollis?" He said thickly, pushing away from me. We detangled our limbs as rapidly as we could manage, and I straightened my robes with a huff. He was grinning wildly and he looped his arm around my shoulders. He leaned in close to my ear. "I think I may have finally done it." He whispered hurriedly. His sandy brown hair tickled my cheek so I leaned away from him a bit.

"Done what?"

"Gotten Lily Evans to pay me a spot of attention, that's what!"

I groaned and leaned my head back. This boy would be the death of me. He'd only taken notice of her because of James. They'd all been out on the courtyard, separately, of course; they ran in different circles, and all of a sudden there was Lily Evans screaming at poor James Potter. His face had fallen and her fiery hair was swinging about. She'd stalked away from him and then I saw the look on Benjy's face. "Merlin, that's a woman." He'd said, and that was the beginning of the end. After that, he'd been doing anything he could to get her attention, and up to this point it'd gone over like a lead balloon, all the while making James all sorts of livid.

"Come on." He said, dragging me by the arm into the compartment nearest to where we'd been standing.

I was about to protest, but I looked up only to be greeted by the lukewarm stares of Lily Evans and Marlene Mckinnon. "Er, hello." I waggled my fingers and tried to ignore the heavy feeling of awkward that was nestling itself into the pit of my stomach. They rounded off a chorus of 'hey there's that did nothing to make me feel any better.

Benjy had already plopped down next to Lily, whose face was unreadable, and he gestured for me to sit next to Marlene. I obliged wordlessly. I knew the two girls by reputation alone. I had hardly had classes with either one or the other during the last five years, and even if I did I had never felt the need to speak with them. I resisted the urge to glare at Benjy. He knew that I hated meeting new people.

"Who're you again?" Marlene squinted at me as though she recognized but couldn't place my face. The girl was very pretty, with long dark hair that I was envious of, considering my own dark brown hair hung in limp curls, and was short since my hair grew slowly after The Hair Tragedy of 1975, where I ill-advisedly chopped it to a very stylish bob that made me look like I was five instead of however-old-I-had-been. She also had wide blue eyes framed with long lashes that blinked at me curiously since I was taking ages to respond.

"Oh! Sorry, erm," my cheeks grew stunningly red. "I'm Agatha Hollis." Then I added quickly, with my index finger in the air. "But I prefer Aggie, even Hollis. Anything but Agatha, actually."

She nodded as though she found the name familiar. "I'm Marlene Mckinnon."

"I know." I said, then decided I sounded like a creeper. "I mean, you're on the quidditch team." I chuckled stiffly. I couldn't decide if she thought I was mad or just strange.

"Right."

Lily peered at me from beside Marlene. She held a long, lightly tanned hand out to me. I grasped it softly. "Lily Evans." She said with a smile. I dropped her hand. "You're in Ravenclaw?"

"That I am."

"I suppose that explains what you're doing with Benjamin then." She laughed a little, though I didn't exactly know what she meant by that.

Benjy was laughing too. "Yep, friends since first year. She took pity on me, seeing as everyone else looked at me like I was a too-excited, barmy, little thing."

I caught on. Did Lily Evans have a thing for socially inept losers? Maybe, given that was the only way that Benjy would have a chance with a girl like her. "He was watching the moving staircases and thinking of jumping, he told me so as I was walking past." I said thinking back. "I told him about James Bond and we've been inseparable ever since."

We all laughed a bit, except for Marlene who looked a tad confused, and I leaned back, beginning to feel comfortable. Lily and I started to explain the concept of James Bond to her, and everything was lovely.

And then, as good times tend to, it all came to an end when James Potter came in with a scowl on his face, followed by his very un-merry band of friends.


	2. Chapter 2

Getting the stink eye from James Potter wasn't exactly something one enjoyed, considering the kid had a mean streak the size of England itself, and also that it was usually followed by a particularly nasty hex. I had seen this happen to a few unlucky students before, and I'd always been sure to spin on my heel and head right back to where I'd come from. No way, no how was I going to get into it with James' crew.

He sat himself down in the seat across from ours, followed promptly by the Black boy, the bookish one, and the Perry-something-or-another boy. "Morning Evans. Mckinnon." He still wasn't smiling, which was unusual for someone so sneaky. Sneaky, clever people always had a way of smiling, as though they knew anything and everything and it always gave me the chills. "Fenwick." He said gruffly. He eyes flickered to my face and he sort of screwed up his nose and eyes the way Marlene had.

He went to open his mouth and I cut him off. "I'm Aggie Hollis." I said quickly.

He didn't get the chance to nod or anything. Lily had her arms crossed over her chest and was scowling at him meanly. "And just what do you think you're doing here?" She spat out every word as if it hurt to speak to him.

"I'm just here to make sure you and Fenwick over here don't get too cozy, if you know what I mean." He smirked then, and pushed his wire-rim glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean, actually."

"What-"

"What he means," the Black boy slung his arm around James' shoulders. "Is that he wants to make sure your little _relationship _with Fenwick doesn't advance past this point. You know, he wouldn't want to find the two of you snogging the living daylights out of each other in the Great Hall or something." He was grinning, with his messy black hair floating in front of his eyes. I noted that he seemed a tad off, what with that haphazard look in his eyes and all.

Lily rolled her eyes. "No, I'm quite certain that I'll have to have left Hogwarts and traveled halfway around the world before you'll leave me alone long enough to get a proper boyfriend, won't I?"

"Look at that, Sirius, beautiful _and_ smart." James nudged the Black boy, Sirius, I supposed, in the ribs and they both looked as though they were enjoying their own private joke.

"Why don't the two of you stop being so foul and get out of our compartment already?" Marlene said, her voice lacking emotion completely. If she had yawned right then, it would have fit in. She seemed to only be addressing James and Sirius, as Remus and Peter had been quiet for the entirety of the time, and looked as though they were trying their best to stay out of the whole mess.

Sirius placed a hand over his heart, mocking woundedness. "Those are harsh words Mckinnon. I'm hurt, I really am." He linked his fingers behind his head and stretched his legs out. "We simply have nowhere else to go, you understand."

Benjy looked at Lily anxiously "I don't mean to speak for her," he switched his gaze to James. "But don't you think it might be time to give up and move on? I mean, it's just been so_ long_."

James seemed stunned silent, though I knew it was only momentary. I felt sudden pity for Benjy. He knew not what he did unto himself. I gave an inner sigh. "The last bloke you have to worry about is Benjy. He's awful with girls."

"Hey, I-"

I gave him the angriest face I could muster. "No." I said. "You haven't." I couldn't just stand by and let him get cursed from here to Timbuktu, could I? That'd make me on terrible friend.

James' face suddenly split and he laughed. "Do you fancy him or something?" He said, as if he'd just stumbled upon a tightly kept secret. "Trying to save him like that, you've got to fancy him." Then he guffawed again. "You're blushing, you fancy him! I knew it."

Truth be told, I was indeed blushing, but it certainly wasn't because I fancied Benjy. I ground my teeth, what a pompous git. No wonder Lily didn't want anything to do with him. "What? No!" I exclaimed. "No, not at all. He's _Benjy_, he's basically Hartwell." I glanced at Benjy. "No offense."

"None taken." He shrugged.

"Er, sorry. Hartwell's my snotty baby brother." I explained and cleared my throat.

Sirius nodded at that, but James wasn't paying attention to me anymore. He was waving his arms at Lily animatedly. "Evans, you know you could fix this all right now if you would just date me." He said. "And then Fenwick would be safe from all kinds of hexes and mishaps."

That seemed to strike a nerve. Lily raised her chin, emerald eyes flashing. "How many times do I have to tell you? _I am not interested._" She practically screamed. I wanted to hold my hands over my ears, but I felt that would attract too much attention. "I have never been, will never be interested in you! You're an evil, cruel bully and I'd sooner elope with a _troll _than go on even a single date with you!" By the end of her speech, she was breathing hard and her face was flushed.

"I'll take that as a maybe then." James said weakly. She chose that moment to dash out of the compartment.

Both Benjy and James made to get up, but they were halted by Marlene. "You've both done enough." She snarled. She whipped her around and stomped out of the compartment as well.

Benjy looked exasperated. "Me?" He exclaimed. "_Me_? I haven't even done anything." He didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular. I wanted to make an excuse about going to get something from the trolley so that I didn't have to sit with this awkward group any longer, but I felt I'd be called a traitor if I just left Benjy there alone.

"Well, it's not my fault." James said crossed his arms.

"I think it might be a bit your fault, mate." Sirius ran his long fingers through his already messy hair.

The bookish boy nodded. "Just a small bit, after what happened last year with... Well, you know." He frowned. He seemed to regret saying that as James gave him a scalding look. "Just a thought." He added, sweet-as-pie.

James groaned and leaned his head back in the seat. Sirius patted his back. Benjy stared out the window for what felt like the longest time.

The feeling that urged me to run was crawling up my back and I glanced at the door every now and again. I stared at my shoes, the door, my fingers, the ceiling, sighed, repeated the process. I made up my mind to just stand up and walk about, but then-

"Are you alright?" I glanced up. The bookish boy was watching me warily. Did I look as though I was going to lose my breakfast? Probably.

I felt my face go pink. "Oh, I'm fine." I squeaked. He nodded. An after thought, as my heart rate went down. "What's your name?"

He brightened. I noticed that he had nice, warm hazel eyes, and wavy-soft brown hair. Also that he had silvery scars across his pale skin, which suggested many fist fights and the like, which surprised me as he seemed to have such a kind nature. "Remus Lupin." He said. "And you're Aggie? I heard you introduce yourself earlier."

I nodded and smiled at him. He had a delicate way of speaking that I immediately liked.

He prodded the P-something boy next to him, "Introduce yourself." He murmured.

P-something boy's eyebrows went high into his hairline. "Ah, right." He said. "I'm Peter. Er, Pettigrew. Peter Pettigrew." So it wasn't Perry then. Huh. We exchanged an awkward sort of duck of the head, then paid one another no more mind.

Sirius must have just noticed that everyone had passed around introductions, because he met my gaze steadily, which made me squirm and my insides burn a tad. "I'm Sirius Black." He said with a smirk.

The way he said his own name, all of a sudden I remembered him. Hearing about him, anyway. He was the sort that made girls absolutely swoon, and one only had to glimpse his face to see why. He had wide, steely eyes, a strong jaw, chiseled cheekbones, a long nose with lightly flared nostrils. His robes were rumpled and hung from his shoulders in a way that said he didn't care about how he looked. He was too involved with his pranks and his friends to care, I supposed.

"Right!" I said with a start. "We had Charms one year... Same year Mary had the biggest-" whoops. Stupid fat mouth. I clamped a hand over it. "Er, pmnfet mmmfoflw."

"Say again? I must be hard of hearing." His lips pulled away to reveal a toothy grin.

I went to try to speak and Benjy turned around suddenly. He yanked my hand from my mouth with a scowl, then promptly turned away again. I was, in fact, highly nervous, and Benjy always knew how I was feeling. He always knew how anyone was feeling, and he quite enjoyed making a show of it. If I hadn't been so distracted, I would have been impressed with him for being helpful.

I wanted to slap myself, but I resisted on the basis that it would make me look even more like a fool than I already did. "I was just saying, it was the year that Mary had the biggest, erm, _owl_. The thing was very fat, you see." They all stared at me blankly. Mary had actually had a very large crush on Sirius Black, but naturally, he remained elusive, so she was brokenhearted the entire year and it was just my luck that I got to be paired with her in potions, so I got to hear all about it.

Then Sirius gave a half-chuckle and shook his head. It at least made me feel a bit better.

"Right, this one's barmy too then." James piped up. I was startled, I'd forgotten he'd even been sitting there.

I pointed at myself. "What, me?"

James nodded solemnly. Well, about as solemnly as a boy with incredibly mussed brown hair and mischievous eyes could make himself look.

I gave a huff. "I'm the least barmy girl you'll ever meet, trust me on that one." I said.

James laughed. "All girls are completely bonkers." He declared. "You have to be a little bit or-or you're just not a girl!"

"Well, maybe just a smidge bonkers." I gave in. "But no more than that, I assure you."

"We'll just have to test that, won't we?" He gave a knowing look to Sirius and wiggled his eyebrows.

I frowned, what sort of evils could they possibly have in mind? They were just looking at each other, all intimate and their friendship and nonsense. How odd.

"Hey, I'm not odd!" James yelped.

I flinched. Whoops, hadn't meant to say that aloud. Now he'd think I was being a prat. I sighed, I hated when people assumed I was a prat. I held my hands up apologetically. "Sorry." I muttered, though I most certainly was not. What kind of boy waggled his brows at his best mate like that?


End file.
